sgtdub

16 July 2006, I've been blogging now for just over a month. I still have trouble getting this started. Should I tell a joke? Start of with the news of the day? Just begin rambling on about the most pressing issues I have stored in my head? Well, as I have all these going on at the same time, let's start with a joke. Two muffins are sitting in the oven, and the first muffin says, "boy is it hot in here", the other muffins turns to him and says "Yikes!! a talking muffin!" Ok, I said it would be a joke, I didn't say it had to be good. My buddy back home Tim has been sending me jokes he finds (this wasn't one of them), so I may start including his here too.
What's new with me since our last meeting, well, I am a college student again. Yesterday and today we have been in a government class studying the Declaration of Independence. As I indicated on the July 4th blog, this is a very important document as it shapes what our country became. And as I am in Afghanistan, helping this nation build it's democracy and independence, what better subject to study. What have I learned so far? That even in the beginning, (and as I have said I am fond of) debate is at the very core of it all. That this document was a statement of Treason against England, but as Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Declaration, (and I'm paraphrasing) that whenever Government becomes destructive of the rights of the people, that it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, as shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Well, other than getting all excited about America, work has been a good day, of course, I'm getting to leave 2 hours earlier so I can make class, but it's only this weekend and next. It will be a full work week starting tomorrow, or as we like to call it in Afghanistan, Monday, well, I guess you call it that too....
I see that Israel and Lebanon are taking up most of the news coverage. Well, either the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan has completely stopped.....or we are just being ignored. Things in Afghanistan are still going on as I am sure they are in Iraq. I've often thought battles should be fought just by generals or heads of state. A game of chess or even now, maybe a computer based game. The winner takes all and the loser stands down. Most likely this would leave families whole and countries intact, but what if the wrong side won? I do believe that Just Wars must be fought, but wars over hatred?
Well, enough seriousness, and I'm sure most of you think this is foreign territory for me, so I will end this on another joke. An Arkansas trooper pulls over a driver of a pick-up truck and asks him "Do you have any ID?" The drivers responds, "About what?" That was courtesy of Tim.
Be safe and have a great day.